Figure gauge for saw mills



Feb. 11, 1958 G. L. BERRY 3 FIGURE GAUGE FOR SAW MILLS Filed May 27,L955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v ge, 253'??? /4 a 56 y/s/o/v f .50 INVENTOR 4 6/1 65 L. m? Y ///6 ATTORNEY Feb. 11, 1958 G. L. BERRY 2,822,835

FIGURE GAUGE FOR SAW MILLS Filed May 27, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR50865 L ,BE/P/FY ///s ATTORNEY United States PatentfO FIGURE GAUGE FORSAW MILLS George L. Berry, Culpeper County, Va. Application May 27,1955, Serial No. 511,578

Claims. (Cl. 143-124) This invention relates to a figure gauge for sawmills, and has for one of its objects the production of a simple andefiicient endless type of indicator for indicating the setting of thehead blocks of the saw machinery to obtain the desired thickness of thetimber to be sawed.

Another object of this invention is the production of a figure gauge forthe set works of a saw mill wherein the gauge is so mounted as to beeasily seen by the operator and which may be also swung upon itsmounting so as to be brought into convenient view of an operator.

A still further object of this invention is the production of a figuregauge for saw mill set works, which is durable and eflicient, and whichis simple in construction, easy to manufacture, and which may be placedupon the market at a reasonable cost.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appearthroughout the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the figure gauge, certain partsbeing shown in section;

Figure 2 'is a top plan view of the figure gauge and its'mounting;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the extensible gaugecasing;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 55 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 66 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Figure 1;

Figure 9 (Sheet 1) is an end view of the indicator casing.

By referring to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that 10designates the carriage rails of the conventional type, to one of whichrails is bolted or otherwise secured, the base flange 11 of anupstanding gear housing 12. The flange 11 is bolted or secured to one ofthe rails 10 in a position parallel to the carriage rails 10, as shownin Figures 1, 2 and 8. This gear housing 12 is provided with an uppertop portion 14 which extends in an opposite direction relative to thebase flange 11. This top portion 14 extends parallel and in spacedrelation to the carriage rails 10. Side shield plates 15 close the sidesof the gear housing 12, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 8.

The conventional line shaft 16 extends longitudinally in spaced relationto the carriage rails 10, and is supported in the conventional manner. AV-pulley 17 is carried by this shaft 16, and a V-belt 17 passes overthis pulley 17, and the pulley 18 which is carried by the auxiliaryshaft 19. One end of this shaft 19 is journaled in the gear housing 12and is journaled near its opposite end in the supporting yoke 20, whichconstitutes a brace for the outer end of the auxiliary shaft 19.

ice

A beveled gear 21 is carried by the inner end of the shaft 19 and mesheswith a beveled gear 22 which is carried by the lower end of the verticalshaft 23. The lower extremity of the vertical shaft 23 is journaled uponthe supporting bracket 24 which is secured to the inner face of the gearhousing 12, as is shown in Figure 1. An upstanding externally threadedcollar 25 is carried by the top of the gear housing 12 and constitutes abearing sleeve for the vertical shaft 23 which passes therethrough. Avertically extending sleeve 26 is threaded at its lower end upon theexternally threaded collar 25 and is suitably lubricated by aconventional grease cup 27. The sleeve 26 may be rotated to a desiredadjusted position and then locked by the set screws 28 to hold thesleeve 26 in a set position.

A cap element 29 is threaded upon the upper end of the sleeve 26, and islubricated by means of a conventional grease cup 30. The cap member 29is rotatable upon the upper end of the sleeve 26, and after it isadjusted to the desired position, it is locked in a set positionrelative to the sleeve 26 by means of a set screw 31. The cap member 29is provided with a cavity 32 in which is located a vertical spool 33.The spool 33 is carried by the upper squared end of the shaft 23 to keythe spool 33 to the shaft 23. A suitable closure 34 covers the cavity 32to close in the parts. The cap member 29 is provided with a protrudinghollow neck 35 which is preferably square in cross section.

A laterally extending hollow shank 36 constituting an indicator casing,also preferably square in cros section, is slidably fitted at one endover the neck 35, and a plurality of protruding ears 37 are carried bythe shank 36 near its inner end. Threaded bolts 38 and 39 pass throughthese cars 37 and engage the cap member 29 to adjust the shank 36 towardand away from the cap mem; ber 29 to adjust the tension of the bolt 41hereinafter described. The shank 36 may be locked in a set position uponthe neck 35 after it is adjusted to a selected position by means of theset screws 41. The shank 36 is provided near its outer end with anabutment collar 42.

An outer spool supporting housing 43 is provided with a hollow squaredneck 44 which fits over the outer end of the shank 36 and abuts thecollar 42. A gate or door 45 is hinged to the outer end of the housing43 and may be opened and closed to obtain access to the housing 43. Asuitable latch 46 is provided to hold the gate or door 45 in a closedposition. A spool 47 is carried by the vertical journal pin 48 of thehousing 43. The housing 43 is locked in a set position upon the sleeve36 by means of the set screws 49.

As is shown in Figure 1, the endless belt 4%? is provided with aplurality of consecutive spaced numbers, such as 1 to 15, etc.,throughout the length thereof. This belt 46 passes over the spools 33and 47, and longitudinally of the housing 43, the shank 36, and into thecap member 29. The housing 43 is provided with an indicator window 50 inone side facing the operator, and the endless belt 46 is guided orthreaded longitudinally of the window 50 so that the numbers or numeralsupon the belt 45) may be viewed therethrough when registering with thereference index 46* thereof.

It should be noted that an operator standing in front of, and on theleft side of, the carriage rails 10, looking in a forward direction whenthe machine is in operation,

. and facing the window 50 of the housing 43, may easily observe thenumerals upon the belt 40, since they will be about eye level just infront of him. if desired, the housing 43, shank 46, and cap member 29,may be swung in the direction of the arrows shown in Figure 2, from thetransverse normal position shown in full lines, that is, toward or awayfrom the operator to place the device at a selected angle for convenientviewing by the operator. This operation is possible due to the fact thatthe cap member 29 and sleeve 26 are rotatably mounted on a verticalaxis. The housing 43, sleeve 36, and cap member 29, which constitute oneassembly or unit, may be locked in a set or selected position by meansof the set screws 31 and 28.

It should be further noted that the line shaft 16 which sets the size ofthe work to be cut or sawed, regulates or drives the belt 40 through theshafts 19 and 23, thereby indicating to the operator through the window50, the size of the work. This avoids the necessity for the operatorchanging his position or line of vision to read the numbers on the belt40, since these numbers are always in front of him in a selectedposition.

It should also be noted that certain detail changes in the constructionand arrangement of parts may be employed without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A device of the class described comprising a support, a rotatableline shaft on the support, an indicator mounted on the support adjacentsaid line shaft, said indicator comprising a base, a verticallyextending rotatable shaft projecting from the base, means for rotatingsaid vertical shaft from said line shaft, a journal sleeve rotatableabout said vertical shaft and upon said base, said indicator alsoincluding an elongated laterally and outwardly extending indicatorcasing carried by said journal sleeve at substantially eye level, anendless indicator belt in said casing mounted around spaced means atopposite ends of said casing to form an elongated loop the sides ofwhich have longitudinal movement within said casing, drive means carriedby said vertically extending shaft and engaging said endless indicatorbelt for driving said endless indicator belt so the sides of the looptravel longitudinally within said indicator casing, and said belt havingconsecutively arranged numerals formed peripherally of said belt and I 4co-operating with an index mark on said casing to indicate the positionof rotation of said line shaft.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said indicator normallyextends transversely of said line shaft, and means is provided to locksaid indicator in a set angular selected swung position toward and awayfrom said line shaft.

3. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said indicator includes a capmember journaled on said sleeve, a spool fixed to said vertical shaft, aspool carried by the outer end of said casing, said belt passing aroundsaid spools, and said casing having an outer end provided with a viewingwindow to facilitate the 'viewing of the belt as it passes the window,and a reference index carried by the window to indicate the position ofsaid belt.

4. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said indicator casing islongitudinally adjustable, and said casing is substantially square incross section, and means for locking said casing in a longitudinallyadjusted position.

5. A device as defined in claim ,1, wherein said in dicator includes acap member, said' casing comprises a lateral sleeve substantially squarein cross section con nected to and adjustable toward and away from saidcap member, said casing has an outer end longitudinally adjustable uponsaid sleeve, and adjustable means are interposed between said cap memberand said sleeve for adjusting the sleeve toward and away from said capmember to regulate the tension of said belt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS LoveApr. 10, 1945

